Saban calls himself ‘the worst’ GameDay picker, wife won’t let him forget it

Nick Saban was a very good football coach. He’s considered among the best to ever do it.

But that’s over and he’s onto the next challenge and that, he’s learned, is a whole different monster. As an analyst on ESPN’s College GameDay, Saban is asked to see the future and pick winners and losers from the week’s biggest games.

Before speaking at the Birmingham Monday Morning Quarterback Club, Saban on Monday shared some of his favorite experiences in his new gig. And the downside.

Sitting next to Pat McAfee and “being able to make no-consequence picks” might be the best part of the job, Saban said.

But …

“I might be the worst picker in the history,” Saban admitted with a laugh.

And he has evidence.

Back when the traveling road show came to Tuscaloosa on Sept. 28, his wife was the guest picker. Terry Saban was no slouch, either. The went 7-2 picking games that day — the best mark of any guest who stepped on set this season. That record topped her husband’s, you know, the greatest coach of all time.

“I mean, when Miss Terry just completely kicks my ass on game day in front of the whole world,” Saban said. “How bad is that?”

That’s not a record that’s sliding by at home, either.

“You better believe it,” Saban said when asked if he’s still hearing about it.

Terry Saban picked seven games correctly compared to Nick Saban’s six.

In general, the job is something the retired coach enjoys. He explained the responsibility and challenge.

“I guess the way I could explain it is, when you’re coaching a team, you kind of look at everything through a straw,” Saban said. “You look at your team, the team you’re playing. So this has given me an opportunity to look at college football in general from a thousand feet. I never knew where Oregon was going or Nebraska was going or Texas Tech or any of those teams prior to this.

“So it’s been kind of fun to be able to take a view of college football in a much broader sense and to know and appreciate some of the better players in the country that maybe you didn’t get the opportunity to compete against in the past.”

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.